Firing switch for rocket launchers



Nov. l5, 1949 Filed May 27, 1947 P. T. NlMs ET AL 2,488,228

FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNGHERS 4 Shee'ts-Sheet l Paul T. NirrmsHuher 5Fl-121mm.

Nov. l5, 1949 P. T. NlMs ET AL.

FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS 4 Sheets-Shee 2 Filed May 27, 1947P11111 T. Nin-m5 Huhep El. helun @Sw j/M/MfQ/ Nov. 15, 1949 P. T. NlMsET A1.

FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 27, 1947Imm P11111 'T'. Nin-h5 v -W .WFH

Nov. 15, 1949 P. T. NlMs ET AL FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERSv 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 27, 1947 gnucHToI/J P11111 T. Nil-rhs.

Silvana/ULS Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRINGSWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Paul T. Nims, Wayne County, and Hubert S.Phelan, Oakland County, Mich., assignors to Chrysler Corporation,Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware This invention relatesto a new and useful improvement in ring switches for rocket launchersand is designed to provide a device for firing salvos of electricallyignited rockets launched from a plurality of launcher frames, by manualoperation of a magneto and a plurality of coils and distributors. Theparticularly novel and useful feature of the device is the peculiarrelation of the magneto and coils, for the current generation, and thedistributors, whereby the peak current generation by the coils and theclosing of the circuits by the distributors precisely coincide. Anothervaluable feature is the actuation of the magneto by the manual drivingmeans through an impulse coupling, the rotor of the magneto being drivenby spring means precisely tensioned by the manual driving means. Thenovel structure effects uniform high-speed driving of the rotor toproduce a current, from each of a plurality of coils, of voltagerequisite for firing, regardless of the speed of the manual drivingmeans. The device can be driven reversely whereby all of thedistributors can be set for initial firing of a selected series ofrockets in the launcher frames, respectively. This adjustment of thedistributors is effected by mere reversal of direction of movement ofthe manual driving means, the device requiring no adjustingmodification. Such reverse movement permits adjustment of thedistributors for effecting contact to such rockets as may have failed toignite.

The invention provides an improved electric switch suitable for manyuses other than firing rockets, such as for instance for progressive orselective blasting.

While a specic embodiment of the invention is illustrated in thedrawings filed herewith and is hereinafter fully described, it is to bedistinctly understood that the invention is not considered to be limitedto said specific embodiment and that its scope is defined by the claimsappended hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line I-I of Figure 2,in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away;

Figure 5 is a detail view of the impulse coupling shown in Figure 4, theparts being in releasing position;

Figure 6 is a transverse, vertical section on the line 8-6 of Figure 1,in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a detail view, similar to Figure 5, the parts being inreversing position;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, vertical section of a rocket launcher frame;

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram.

As illustrated in the drawings, the firing switch is housed in a casingcomprising a bottom I, side walls 2 and 3, and top 4 on which issuitably mounted a carrying handle 5. The casing has a verticalpartition 6 from bottom I to top 4, and end walls 1 and 8, removablymounted on bottom I, side walls 2 and 3 and top 4 by bolts 9 andprovided with sealing gaskets I0. End wall 8 has an enlarged portion Ilforming a boss eX- tending into the casing and having a bearing I2 andconcentric socket I3 for a seal I4. A driving shaft I5 is journaled inbearing I2 and seal I4 with one of its ends projecting out of the casingand slotted to receive the co-acting end of a removable hand crank I6.Shaft I5 has a thrust collar I1 bearing on the inner end of portion II,and a head I8 on the inner end of shaft I5. Head I8 has a pair ofdiametrically spaced female coupling members I9 receiving co-acting malemembers 20 diametrically spaced on a circular drum 2I co-axial withshaft I5, and constituting one member of the impulse coupling. A helicalspring 22 disposed in drum 2l has its outer end 23 attached to drum 2Iand its inner end 24 attached to a plate 25 constituting the othermember of the impulse coupling, by a post 26 on plate 25 and projectinginto drum 2I (Figures l and 6) Plate 25 is keyed on a driven shaft 21journaled in aligned bearings 28 and 29 in partition 6 and end wall 1,respectively, co-axial with driving shaft I5. Bearing 29 has a closurecap 30. It will be noted (Figure 1) that the right end of the drivenshaft 21 is slightly spaced from the left end of head I8 of the drivingshaft I5, and has threaded thereon a nut 3I with a sleeve 32 about shaft21 and serving as a bearing for central flange 33 of the drum 2|,thereby mounting drum 2| for-free rotation about shaft 21, between thenut 3| and plate 25. Plate 25 has a circular flange 34 concentric withshaft 21 and projecting into drum 2| adjacent fiange 33 of drum 2|.Plate 25 has a central sleeve 35 about shaft 21 spacing plate 25 frombearing 28 in partition 6. Plate 25 has, at diametrically oppositeportions on its periphery, radial extensions 36 and 31 forming abutments38 (Figures 4, 5 and 7), and a pair of pintles 39 diametrically spacedfrom sleeve 35, on which are pivoted latches 40 and 4| having heads 42having straight edges 43 and convex ends 44 concentric With pintles 39,and tails 45 having inner concave edges 48 and outer shoulders 41. Drum:2| has a pair of lugs 98 and 4.9i on diametrically opposite sides ofdrum 2|A and projecting parallel with axis of shaft 21 over plate 25,for co-action with edegs 43 of heads 42 et'l latches 40 and 4|, and withabutments 33 of exp tensions 36 and 31. A cylindrical stop-pin 59' ismounted on the partition 6 adjacent sleeve 3:5 and so disposed as toengage the convex ends; 414i of heads 42 of latches 40 and 4I' whenheads`42f swing outwardly (Figure 4) when latches 40 and 4| pivot aboutpintles 39.

The driven shaft 21 has formed thereon, at` its portion projectingthrough bearing 28 in parti'- tion 6, a pinion 5| meshing with a gear 52keyed ona shaft 53 journaled ina bearing 54 in partition 6. Shaft 53has, on its end projected thrcmghV partition e opposite toits endcarrying gearl 52,V a pinion 55 meshing with a gear 56 keyed onthedistributor shaft 51 journaled in aligned bearings 58-'andr 59 inpartition 6 and enlargedl portion 60 of the end wall 8, respectively.Bearing 5a has'- a closure cap- 6|.

The driven shaft 21 carries the magneto rotor 62 composed of laminatedmagnetic-metal transfer members |53v and 54 for permanent magnet membersand 66 welded between meme bersA 53 and 64 which are mounted byA boltsv61 on non-magnetic end plates 88 mounted? on shaft 21". Vex ends 59Aconcentric with shaft 21;, andi members 85I and 68 have convex ends-10,on radii less than those of ends 69; (Figure 29:. Poles-hoes; 1| of themagneto are mounted bybolts 1:2 on lugs1l3V and 14. on side walls 2'-and 3 respectively, and have concave portions 15 concentric with rotor62 on radii slightly greater than endsA 89( Four coils 16., 11, 18' and119i have a common coreA 80 disposed against the ends* of shoes 11|,byclips 8| on lugs 82 and 83 on sidewalls 2 and 3V, to connect shoes1|:` through core 80, the coils-16,r1l11, 181l and5V 19 beingfbetweenthefshoes 1 I.

The device has four distributors (FigureA l). each one of which has arectangular panel! 845 of` suitable insulating material. These panels 84are mounted onpartition` 62v by four bolts 85 withl spacing sleeves 8Bto properly space panels 84". Panels 84 have central orifices 81 throughwhich. passes freely the rotatable shaft 51 above men-` tioned. Suitablybolted on the shaft 51 thereare four sleeves 88. -Each'sleeve 88 has ape ripheral flange 89 to which is attached a Vdisc 90, of suitableinsulating material', about shaft 511. Each sleeve 88 extends throughthe orifice- 81 of one of the panels 84 and has a spacing collar 9|between the panel 84 andthe disc 90', and a snap ring 92 in a peripheralgroove 93 in sleeve 88 and disposed on the face of panelllfV oppositethat against which is the spacing'c'ollar 9|. Each panel 94 has acontact ring 94 suitably mounted concentric with shaft 51 on the face ofpanel 84 adjacent disc 90, and on theV same face a series oftwenty-eight contact plates 95 arranged symmetrically in a circleconcentric with-shaft 51. Each disc has mounted-thereon a double contactarm 96 having its longitudinal axis normal to the radius of,` disc 90andhaving one end 91 projecting from disc 90.111 constantl contactV withcontact ring 94. and; its. other` end* 98; projecting from disc 90. overcontact plates Members 53 andi 64 have con- 95. The end 98 has astruck-up head 99 to effect contact between arm 96 and contact plates95, successively, as shaft 51 is rotated (Figure 4). It will be notedthat head 99 is so designed, and contacts are so relatively spaced thathead 99 passes off of the plates 95 to break the circuit, in its passagefrom one platev 95 to the next. Spring fingers |90 are mounted on eachdisc 90 to press ends 91 and 98 into contact with ring 94 and contactplates 95, respectively.

The coils 176,11,` 18 and 19 have wires |0|, |02, |03 and |94,respectively, which connect one end ofY each of saidv coils with bindingposts |95, respeci'zively,` in aninsulated connector block |06 mountedon.; bottom of the casing. Binding posts |05' are connected by wires |01to the contact, rings.. 94, respectively.

TheV casing ofV the device has four outlets |08 arranged in pairs inside walls 2 and 3. Each outlet |98 has a terminal block |09 providedwith twenty-nine female coupling members. ||01 (Figure 41). VEachcontact plate 95 has a connector lflby whichY i-t is connected` byI awire |s|i2 to. one of the coupling members H0. Itv is to. be. understoodthat wiresfl |2 connect Contact plates 95 ci the insulated panels 84 ofthe fourdistribu. tors'wi-th coupling members- |st0 ot the terminalblocks- |199j of the four outlets |88-, respectively; As there aretwenty-eight contact plates 95. oni each insulated panel- 84',twenty-eight couplings H9' in each block` |09- are connected by wires`|2|L2-` to plates. 95. Y Y

The-coils 1=6, 11, 18 and'` 1-9` have wires H3; |114, l5 and' |15,respectively, which connecttheY othery end of eachl coil with theremaining couplingsv 'pling-v collar-I |11 for removably/attaching acable-y ||f8 having a terminalv block ||19` provided with twenty-ninemale coupling members. |20 co.. acting with coupling members` ||0l of'blocks; 1109i (Figure 4). Each cable |48Y has twenty-eight. wires |=2|connected by couplings |:|0 and |120l to wires li2'rof one of-theoutlets: |98, and asinglef wire |22. The fourv wires |122 are connected'by couplings ||1||` and |120 with wires H23, ||4, ||.5

and |2|r-6, respectively. Cables I8; are connected tof-'our rocketlauncher frames |23', respectively, byr Vterminal blocks havingco-acting.y coupling' 1 members, andi` coupling collarssuch as: abovede-A scribed. Wires Ill' of each cable ||8 are.con.- rlectedl therebywithr wires` connected with Contact points |25 in each ofvtwenty-ei'ghtrocket-v. receiving sockets` |25. of one ofr four frames |23;l Contactpoints |25'. co-act with the electrical ring mechanism! ofthe rocket(not sho-wn). The wire |22 offeachfcable 8i is con.-v

nected; by the couplings, of: cable |1|8 and frame?,

|23', with. a wire |i2=1i of:V one of thev frames |23: which issuitablygroundedy at|-'.2f8 on frame |23, the said ring mechanism. of therocket. being also grounded on the frame |23. when therocket isseated insocket |26.

Figure Qshows diagrammatically the abovedescribed circuits. One end`offeach of: the coils. 1.6,. 151:, 1.13 and 19; is; connected: by awire. |01.- tothe contact ring 9410i one of the insulated panels; 8,45of the four distributors. Each ring 94 is; con.- nected by contactarml96".y with the contact plates 9.5',Y successively. Each. plateV 95V is;connected byi its wire I2 and cable |f|:8', and, as 'shown in Figure, bywire |241rand: contact-points; |^2 5, with the firing mechanism off one.off the rockets. The; other ends of the-coils; 1-15, 111i, 1i8t'anct1.9i are con.- nectedv by wires. |1| 3,. ||i4:, |;I'-5v and I; I8,respectively and through cables I |8 (Figure 8) to wires |21 grounded onthe frame I 23, respectively.

Since the casing of the device is made of opaque material and therotatable contact arms 96 of the four distributors cannot, therefore, beobserved by the operator, the device is provided with means to indicatethe positions of contact arms 96 when firing is to be commenced. Anindicator rod |29 is slidable in an enlargement |30 on side wall 3 ofthe casing of the device (Figure 3) with one end I3| extended through aseal |32 in wall 3 and its other end |33 formed as an enlarged head andprovided with a coil spring |34 about rod |29 and conned betweenenlargement and the head |33 to bias rod |29 to the left as viewed inFigure 3. Rod |29 is reciprocated by a cam shoulder |35 on the peripheryof a drum |36 fixed on shaft 51 adjacent gear 56 (Figure 1). It isobvious that When drum |36 is properly disposed on shaft 51, in relationto the disposition of arms 96 on shaft 51, rotation of shaft 51 willproject the end 3| of rod I 29 outwardly of wall 3 to indicate theposition of arms 96.

The device operates as follows: When the crank handle I6 has beenconnected with the driving shaft |5 and its outer portion ishorizontally disposed (Figure 1), the rotor 62 of the magneto is sodisposed that its magnets 65 and 66 are positioned adjacent the poleshoes 1|, respectively, (Figure 2) and the contact arm 96, of each ofthe four distributors, is so positioned that the struckup head 99 of itsend 98 is intermediate two of the contact plates 95 (Figure 4). Theimpulse coupling is positioned as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 6. It willbe noted (Figure 4) that plate 25 is so disposed that the pintle 39 onwhich is pivoted latch 40 is above the horizontal diameter of plate 25causing tail 45 of latch 40 to drop, its inner edge 46 contacting sleeve35 of plate 25, thereby projecting head 42 of latch 40 radially of plate25, the convex end 44 of head 42 engaging stop-pin 50 therebyimmobilizing plate 25 and driven shaft 21 against rotation.

The crank handle I6 is moved through an arc of 180 thereby turningdriving shaft I5, and through coupling members I9 and 20 rotating drum2| connterclockwise as viewed in Figure 4. This rotation of drum 2|about immobilized plate 25 and shaft 21 tensions spring 22 about flange34 and moves drum-lug 48 from its position shown in Figure 4 to theposition of lug 49 in Figure 4. When lug 48 has moved 90, reaching itsposition shown in Figure 5, it has moved over edge 43 of head 42 oflatch 40 to retract latch 40, the convex end 44 of head 42 moving off ofthe arcuate surface of stop-pin 50. This retraction of latch 40 releasesplate 25 which is rotated with shaft 21 at high-speed through an arc of180, under impulse of tensioned spring 22. It will be noted (Figures 4and 5) that this spring-actuated rotation of plate 25 brings pintle 39of latch 4| above the horizontal diameter of plate 25, causing tail 45of latch 4| to drop thereby projecting head 42 of latch I4, so that whenby the said rotation of plate 25 the latch 4| is brought to theposition, in which latch 40 is shown in Figure 4, the end 44 of head 42of latch 4I will engage the stop-pin thereby again irnmobilizing theplate 25 and shaft 21 after rotating through an arc of 180.

This high-speed movement of shaft 21, driving rotor 62 of the magneto,at high-speed through an arc of 180 counterclockwise as viewed in Figure2, causes the magneto to perform its normal function, viz. thishigh-speed movement of the rotor 62 produces a ux change in the magneticcircuit, which links each of the coils 16, 11, 16 and 19, producing fromeach coil an electric current of the desired voltage.

The rotation of shaft 21 drives shaft 51, through their associatedgearing, moving the heads 99 on the four contact arms 96,counterclockwise (Figure 4), onto adjacent contact plates 95,respectively, thereby closing the four circuits from coils 16, 11, 18and 19 to the electric firing mechanism of one of the rockets in each ofthe four frames |23.

It is to be noted (Figure 1) that the four contact arms 96 are somounted on the shaft 51 as to contact corresponding plaes of the fourdistributors to close the circuits, simultaneously to correspondingrockets in the four frames |23. Arms 96 are moved to contact one set'ofplates 95, on each of the said half-revolutions of shafts I5 and 21. Thegearing is such that shaft 51 is driven through one revolution byfourteen revolutions of shafts |5 and 21. It is to be understood thatthe parts are so designed and related that the current generation andclosing of the circuits precisely coincide, so that the heads 99 passthe axes of plates 95 during the period of peak current, and move fromone plate 95 to the next during an interval of small or zero current. Itwill be noted that, by reason of the driving of the magneto rotor 62 bythe tensioned spring 22 of the impulse coupling, uniform high-speedrotation of rotor 62 is effected, regardless of the speed of rotation ofcrank handle |6, to produce the desired rapid flux change generating theproper current to re the rockets.

As the device is provided With the indicator rod |29, above described,the contact arms 96 can be adjusted relative to contact plates 95,preliminary to operation of the device for firing. To set the contactarms 96, as for instance to condition the device for firing Number 1rocket in each of the four frames |23 by effecting contact between thearms 96 and contact plates 95 at the zeniths of the vertical diametersof the plates 84 (Figure 4), the crank handle I6 is rotated oppositelyto its direction of rotation for ring, causing driving shaft I 5,through couplings I9 and 29, to drive drum 2| clockwise as viewed inFigure 7. Lugs 48 and 49, engaging abutments 38 of extensions 36 and 31of plate 25, elect direct drive of plate 25 and driven shaft 21.Straight edges 43 of heads 42 of latches 49 and 4|, striking stop-pin56, retract latches 49 and 4|. Such rotation of driven shaft 21 effectssuch low-speed rotation of rotor 62 of the magneto relative to poleshoes 1I that coils 16, 11, 18 and 19 do not produce any current.Therefore, contact arms 96, driven by rotation of shaft 51 clockwise(Figure 4), pass over plates 95 innocuously.

It is obvious that the device can be thus conditioned to effect contactbetween arms 96 and any selected set of plates 95, on the initialoperative rotation of crank handle I6, for initially firing a selectedseries of rockets in frames I 23, and that the parts can be so related(Figures 3 and 4) that indicator rod |29 is projected by cam |35 whenarms 96 are disposed so as to contact plates 95 for firing the Number 1rocket in each frame |23.

Having described the invention, what We claim is:

1. In a firing switch for igniting electricallyfired rockets, thecombination of a magneto; manually rotatable means for driving saidmagneto; an impulse coupling connecting said magneto and said drivingmeans for producing sharp electrical impulses during uniform rotation ofsaid manually rotatable means; aplura'lityoeleetrical'ly separate coils.associated withr said mag;- neto for generation o currents'respectivelyby operation of said magneto; 'aplurali-ty'of, distributors,eachhavirrg; a rotatable Contact arm and a plurality ofcontact.- platesmeansior rotatingsaid arms,l by Vthe driven. magneto, tol veiieetContact with their associated plates successively; and electricalconnections between each of said coils andr one of said contact arms,yrespectively,` said impulse coupling being angularly synchronized withsaid magneto and disiibutors sothat one of said; sharp electricalimpulsesoccursfat each sueeessive con-tact between thev rota-ting armsand their associated contact plates.

2. A dri-ng device for igniting electrically fired rocketsV inrotationcomprising, incombination, a continuously rotatably driving-I member',manually operablemeansi for rotatingsaid member, adriven shaft,A animpulse coupling .between saiddriving member and said drivenshaft forstoring energy during part of the continuous rotation of said drivingmember and delivering said energy in pulseform during another part ofsaid continuous rotation to produce high-speed rotor pulses in 8 saiddriven shaft, fa magneto rotor mountedaon said driven shaft, magnetic,poles on said rotor having non-Ipolar areas between them, pole. shoesassociated with said rotor, a pluralty'of electrical coils having, acommon core connecting said pole shoes for producing a. plurality oielectrical currents respectivelm when said rotor is driven bysaid-driven shaft, said impulsecoupling'being angularly synchronized`with said rotor poles soy that the high speed pulses occur as said.rotor ,poles sweep past said pole shoeswherebythev maximum voltagegenerated is increased.

PAUL. T. NIMS..`

HUBERT S. PHELAN.

REFERENCES .CITED The following references are of record ln the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

